There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes; and yet is not washed from their filthiness. T [The eighth Sermon on this text.] HE greatest step towards Heaven, is to step out of our own door, and over our own threshold; to go wholly out of ourselves, and wholly in to Chrift. Instead of going abroad, and out of ourselves, by felfdenial, we naturally stay at home, by felf-conceit and proud imagination of our own excellency: There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes; and yet is not washed from their filthiness. It is idolatry to worship an holy angel, as well as a curfed devil. To make our virtues our God, is idolatry, as well as to make our belly our God: nay, it rather adds to the idolatry; because that is used to rob him of his glory, which should have brought him in the greatest revenew of glory. If a man boasts of his vices and fins, he pulls down the throne of God, and worships a devil: if a man boasts of his virtues and graces, he pulls down the throne of God with that wherewith he should build it up; and worships a golden image, a golden calf: yea, worships himself, while he trufts in his own beauty and purity. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes : and yet is not washed from their filthiness. Having profecuted the two first observations we took notice of from these words, we now proceed to the third propofition which we obferved from them, namely, Doct. 3. That felf-conceit is incident to a multitude of profeffors. Many, who are most impure, look upon themselves aś as pure; and labour under a fad a woful delusion, grofs and damnable mistake, about the state and cafe of their immortal fouls. The method we lay down, for profecuting this observation, through divine assistance, shall be the following. I. To prove and clear the truth of the doctrine. III. Enquire into the grounds, causes, and springs of it. finfulness and danger of it. V. Deduce fome inferences from the whole. I. The first thing then to be essayed, is, To prove and clear the truth of the doctrine, viz. That felf-conceit is incident to a multitude of professors. This point is evident both from fcripture and experience. 1. It is clear from a multitude of fcriptures. Not only the words of the text, but many other scripture passages confirm it; such as, Ifa. lxv. 5. Which fay, Stand by thyself, come not near, for I am holier than thou. Chap. lviii. 2, 3. They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinances of their God: they ask of me the ordinance of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Where. fore have we fafsted, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our foul, and thou takest no knowledge? They were much in duty; much more than the generality of professors in our day: but they had an high conceit of themselves and their duties. Self-conceit is felf-deceit ; For, if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, Gal. vi. 3.: or, he that conceiveth of bimfelf highly, deceiveth himself greatly. How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? See thy way in the valley; know what thou haft done, &c. Jer. ii. 23. Thy faid they were not polluted; and yet they are called to fee their way in the valley. It is observed by the prophet Hofea, chap. viii. 2, 3. concerning Ifrael, that they cry, My God, we know thee ; and yet they caft off the thing that is good. Why are you faying, My God, we know thee? You are all mifVOL. I. taken, Kkk 一 4, faith God; you have neither part nor portion me. If you confult the parable of the ten virgins, Matth. xxv. you will there see, that the foolish virgins had an high profession, and very high pretensions to religion: they entertained an high opinion of themselves and their lamps; though yet they had no oil in their vessels. Yea, it is told of many, Mat. vii. 22. that they shall fay, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name, and in thy name caft out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? To whom Christ will fay, I never knew you; depart from me. And here it is plainly implied, that they will expect to be rewarded with eternal blifs for the fame. We are cautioned to this purpose; Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seemeth to be wife in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wife, 1 Cor. iii. 18. If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know, chap. viii. 2. If any man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, Gal. vi. 3. All which supposes that many think something of themselves, who yet are nothing, and are but cheating their own fouls; and of all deceit this is the most terrible. In a word, we find a whole church labouring under this foulruining disease and distemper, namely, the church of Laodicea; Thou sayst, I am rich, aud increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked, Rev. iii. 17.-Is it not plain from these scriptures, that many look upon themselves to be pure, who yet were never washed from their filthiness? But, 2. Let us next compare these scriptures with experience. We may fee this doctrine abundantly clear from experience. Are we not exceeding ready to judge ourselves better than indeed we are? And to magnify ourfelves, our states, our virtues, above what they are? We act very differently in respect of our good things, from what we act with respect to our evil. As to our fins and evils, we have a trick of extenuation, that though our fins be exceeding many, yet we can, like the unjust steward, write down fifty instead of an hundred. Though our fins be great, we can leffen them. But, 1 But, on the contrary, in our good things or grac whether real or fuppofed, we have a trick of aggravation to make them greater and more than they are; here we write an hundred for fifty. And here we have the art of multiplication. It is with many, as it was with Simon Magus; they deceive themselves, as he deceived the people of Samaria, Acts viii. 9, 10. He made them believe that he was fome great man; yea, that he was the great power of God: whereas, indeed, he was but a base forcerer; and one that wrought lying miracles by the power of Satan. So, many conceit themselves to be great men, to be the dear children of God, and that the power of Christ dwelleth in them; when, indeed, they are nothing but Satan's vassals. Is it not evident from experience, that many are dreaming that matters are well enough with them? They have a good heart, they think; and they trust in God, they fay; and hope to be saved as well as others, that feem to be more strict. Is it not evident from experience, that there are more proud profeffors than poor converts? And hence, in a day of trial, multitudes of profeffors apostatise: they are offended at Chrift and his cross; they fall off from the faith, like leaves from the trees, in the time of harvest. They had only an high pretence to devotion, and an high conceit of themselves; but were never truly washed from their filthiness. 66 66 II, The second thing proposed was, To touch a little at the nature of this felf-conceit. Why, in general, "It is a false apprehension, whereby a man hath an over-weaning and over-valueing of himself, and his " actions; judging of himself more highly than he ought to do." This self-conceit may be confidered, either as it takes place in the godly, who may apprehend themselves to be in a better condition than they are; or as it takes place in the wicked, who may judge themlves to be in a good condition, when yet they are in ad one. It may be confidered, I say, with respect to the hey may imagine themselves better than indeed when they think their smoaking flax is a blazing Kkk 2 dame; when they look at their graces through a agnifying glass, and think them great, when indeed hey are but fmall. They may look upon their own graces, as parents upon their own children, and think them the fairest of all others: James and John seem to be thus affected, when Christ tells them, Are ye able to drink of my cup, and to be baptized with my baptifm? Matth. xx. 22. Yea, say they; We are able: While yet, alas! they were scarce able to fee Christ drink that cup; and therefore fled away when it was coming near. Thus Peter also seems to be too high minded, about his grace and strength, when he said, Why cannot I follow thee now? Yea, Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I. 2. It may be considered with respect to the unregenerate, and all the wicked and ungodly, who judge themselves to be in a good state, when indeed they are in a bad one. And here this felf-conceit hath especially these two parts, or two things in it. 1. When men apprehend that they want that evil, which indeed they have. 2. When they imagine they have that good which indeed they want. [1.] When men suppose that they want that evil, which indeed they have; or think they are not fo bad as indeed they are. Thus the Pharisee talks how free he is of common vices, Luke xviii. 11.; that he is not unjust, nor an extortioner: and yet our Lord Jesus, who could not be deceived, charges that whole tribe with manifold enormities, Matth. xiii. 4,-39. Luke xi. 29, -44. and elsewhere; how they devoured widows houses, through colour of long prayers; by teaching their children to starve their own parents, to offer to the altar; which, in effect, was just to fill their purse. Here was injustice and extortion: and yet, because it was more covertly carried on, and not so evident as that o' the publicans and common thieves; therefore they bl themselves, as if they had been no extortioners, no just perfons. Thus many will free themselves of Why? Because they do not exceed in their and yet they may be swelled with pride ar ceit; and discover it in many other refr |